Sixgill Hagfish
Eptatretus hexatrema
- Group: Other
- Typical depth: 10–400 m
- Max size: 80 cm
- For divers: safe
- IUCN status: LC
This hagfish burrows in muddy bottoms and scavenges dead and dying fish, boring into a carcass and feeding from the inside. Threatened, it pours out clouds of thick slime that clog the gills of anything trying to eat it, a trick shared by all hagfishes.
Taxonomy: Animalia › Chordata › Myxini › Myxiniformes › Myxinidae › Eptatretus
Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 221466.
FAQ
- How deep does the Sixgill Hagfish live?
- The Sixgill Hagfish (Eptatretus hexatrema) is typically found at 10–400 m.
- Is the Sixgill Hagfish dangerous to divers?
- The Sixgill Hagfish is harmless to divers.
- How big does the Sixgill Hagfish get?
- The Sixgill Hagfish grows to about 80 cm.